The Centre for Health Protection has advised Aberdeen's Tin Wan Methodist Kindergarten & Nursery to suspend classes for two weeks as nine students and a staff member have developed hand-foot-mouth disease symptoms since June 6.

Five children developed symptoms between June 6 and 13. Of them, a three-year-old girl was confirmed to have been infected with Enterovirus-71 on June 13. None needed hospitalisation and all are in stable condition.

Although the school management has stepped up cleaning measures, five new cases were reported today, involving four children and one staff member. All are in stable condition.

In view of the emergence of new cases after infection-control measures were enhanced, the school was advised to close for two weeks from tomorrow for thorough disinfection.

Meanwhile, the centre also confirmed today the year's 54th EV-71 case, involving a two-year-old boy who lives in Shenzhen. He came down with fever, oral ulcers and a rash on June 12.

He came to Hong Kong to seek medical treatment on the same day and was admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital the next day. He is in stable condition.

There were 12 EV-71 cases last year, 35 in 2004, eight in 2005 and 16 in 2006.